If you are already enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B you will have a choice between a Medicare Supplement (aka Medigap) plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.  The following reasons are why we feel the Medicare Supplement plan is the better choice for you:

Any healthcare provider that accepts Medicare will accept all Medigap plans. There are no networks, there are no HMOs, there are no PPOs and you will never need a referral to see a doctor or specialist

• Generally there are no co-pays when services are rendered
• Most Advantage plans have co-pays for every visit
• Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by the government. Which means you can compare prices form one company to another and always know that you are comparing the same coverage
• Policies are “Guaranteed Renewable”, which means that as long as you pay your premium, you cannot lose the coverage
• If you move to another city or state, you can take your Medigap policy with you
• You won’t have to worry about limited providers or doctors dropping out of your network
• If you buy a Medigap policy within 6 months of starting Part B at age 65 or older, you cannot be turned down for any reason
• You don’t have to choose a primary care provider so you don’t have a “gatekeeper” who has the final say on which provider you see

So although Medigap plans usually come with a slightly higher premium than the Advantage plans, there are very few limitations to them and no “hidden” costs as far as co-pays and/or deductibles. So for all these reasons we feel your better alternative to supplement your government issued Medicare coverage is a Medigap policy. Please feel free to contact one of our Medicare Supplement specialists, at (800) 369-3600, who will be happy to discuss your individual circumstances and suggest a plan that is right for you.

Visit ManhattanLife's Medicare Supplement for plan information.